THE work of a Welsh guitarist has been in huge demand because of his connection to a Jimi Hendrix mystery.

Former record producer Martin Davies inherited a guitar solo recording of the Welsh national anthem, and had been convinced it could have been made by guitar legend Hendrix himself.

But despite an appeal in the Western Mail, followed by massive global interest, none of the few people potentially able to reveal origins of the recording have come forward.

However publicity led to speculation that Welsh axe-man Tich Gwilym, who died in a Cardiff house fire in 2005, may have been behind the recording. Just as Hendrix became synonymous with his infamous version of the USA's Star Spangled Banner, Tich made a reputation with his take on the Welsh anthem, and even played it at Cardiff Arms Park the morning before an international match for the BBC.

Mr Davies, who had made the potential Hendrix recording available on his website, found it inundated by some 30 million visitors, many of whom left requests for Tich's recordings.

Martin is adamant the music he inherited, discovered recorded over the end of an old eight-track demo tape by mediocre 70s band New Flames, could not have been made by Tich. He believes it is possible it could have been made by Hendrix himself, a known friend of the band, which included Viv Williams, who used to be from Crickhowell. Hendrix was in the area at the time of the recording in 1970, shortly before his death.

But he concedes the truth may now never be known.

And after so many requests for Tich's music, he has now persuaded Sain Records to rerelease on iTunes the 1991 Geraint Jarman a'r Cynganeddwyr album Goreuon, which features Gwilym playing his arrangement of Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau.

Martin has also arranged for a recording of Tich playing the piece at the Royal Oak in Cardiff in 1998 to be made available on his website instead of the mystery version.

He said, "The idea is twofold. The first is to allow people to hear Tich's recording, which sounds nothing like Hendrix. The second is to make a homegrown rock 'n' roll version of Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau available to the public.

"There is clearly a huge demand and there is nothing you can buy on record."

Visitors to the site are encouraged to make a donation to the Tich Gwilym Foundation, a charity established by his friends in his memory.